Locking device



J. C. PIPER LOCKING DEVI CE June 20, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 18, 1965 JOSZ/ H d P/PE/P a) #2 Arr R 5/5 J. C. PIPER LOCKING DEVICE June 20, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Jan.

J. C. PIPER LOCKING DEVICE June 20, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan.

mi wi ATTOP/VEYS United States Patent 3,326,023 LOCKING DEVICE Joseph C. Piper, 4417 Kingman Blvd, Des Moines, Iowa 50311 Filed Jan. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 426,283 16 Claims. (Cl. 70-156) This invention relates to locking devices which are particularly adaptable for doors and the like, but which also have application in almost any envirornent where locks are needed. Existing locks fall into two general groups, namely, those requiring keys and those requiring the dialing of a predetermined combination. The manipulation of both groups of locks in darkness is always inconvenient and sometimes impossible. The conventional dial-type combination lock requires the dial to stop on a different number or indicia mark upon each movement of the dial, and this demands a great deal of care by the operator.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a locking device which is operated by a reciprocating mechanism which is responsive to predetermined equal movements of the mechanism in one of two directions of movement.

A further object of this invention is to provide a locking mechanism that is extremely easy to operate for one knowing the combination, but which is substantially impossible to unlock by one who is without the predetermined combination.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a locking device that can easily be rendered operative or inoperative from the inside of the door opposite to the unlocking mechanism on the outside thereof.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a locking device that will automatically re-lock itself after the unlocking combination has been worked.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a locking device that is free from malfunctioning, durable in use, and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded and partially disassembled view of the locking mechanism of the device of this invention; this structure normally being located within and on the outside of the door;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the longitudinal axis of the assembled components of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the knob portion taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the lock cylinder as taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a disassembled perspective view of the plunger cylinder, the proportions of this view being smaller than this same component shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the inside end of device of this invention and shows the means whereby the device is controlled on the inside of the door;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an interior control mechanism in an unlocked condition and is taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 7 but shows the interior control mechanism in a locked condition; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a portion of the tubular latch bar actuating member.

ice

The numeral 10 (FIG. 6) designates a door structure upon which the locking device of this invention can be mounted. A conventional latch mechanism 12 includes a movable latch 14 which is withdrawn into the door through operative connection to latch bar 16. A tubular latch actuating member 18 is adapted to have its edge 18A (FIG. 1) engage the latch bar 16 to selectively withdraw the latch 14 so that the door 10 can be opened. The structure defined thus far is of conventional construction.

Anchor plate 20 is secured in any convenient manner to the outer face of door 10 and contains in a suitable bore a radially disposed locking pin 22. Spring 24 (FIG. 1) in the outer end of the bore normally urges the locking pin inwardly toward the actuating member 18. As will be described hereafter, the inner end of locking pin 22 is adapted at times to be received within a suitable aperture 23 (FIG. 9) in latch bar actuating member 18 to prevent the rotation thereof which in turn, prevents actuation of the latch mechanism 12. When in this position, the door 10 is in a locked condition, and the unlocking mechanism to be described hereafter serves the ultimate function of forcing the locking pin out of engagement with the latch actuating member, so that the actuating member can be rotated to effect the withdrawal of latch 14, which will permit the door 10 to be opened.

An outer knob 26 is rigidly secured to the outer end of hollow tube 28 which has a cam cylinder 30 substantially closing its outer end. A portion of the inner peripheral edge of cylinder 30 has tapered carn surfaces 32 and 34 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which extend outwardly and towards each other as they extend away from the inner face of the cylinder. Cam surfaces 32 and 34 are sep arated by flat portion 36. Tapered cam surfaces 38 are located at the bottom inner face of cylinder 30 and are separated by a narrow fiat portion 40. A hollow stem 42 registers with the hollow center of cylinder 36 and extends inwardly towards door 10.

The hollow tubular latch actuating member 18 is slidably and rotatably mounted within tube 28. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, a triangularly-shaped opening 44 appears in member 18 to present a forward straight guide or bearing surface 44A and tapered guide or hearing surfaces 44B and 44C. The converging surfaces 44B and MC terminate in throat portion 46 which in turn communicates with transverse slot 48. Slot 48 extends partially around member 18 and its longitudinal axis is parallel to guide surface 44A. A threaded aperture 50 (FIG. 1) appears in knob 26 and tube 28, and screw 52 (FIG. 2) extends theretbrough into opening 44 in the latch actuating member 18. The screw 52 normally bears against guide surface 44A, and is adapted to dwell in slot 48 at times as will be discussed hereafter. Conventional rose member 54- normally covers the aperture 50 in knob 26, and access to the screw 52 is gained by removing rose 54 according to usual procedures.

A plunger cylinder 56 fixedly dwells within the outer end of latch actuating member 18 and abuts the inner face of cam cylinder 30. Two bores 58 extend longitudinally into cylinder 56 from its outer face, and plungers 6t) and 62, respectively, extend from the outer ends of the two bores. Pins 64 and 66 are secured to the forward or inner ends of plungers and 62, respectively, and slidably extend through suitable center apertures in the forward ends of the respective bores 58. Springs 68 in the forward ends of the bores normally urge the plungers outwardly and into engagement with the ends of the fiat portion 36 which locates the plungers immediately adjacent th erespective cam surfaces 32 and 34.

A slot 70 (FIG. 5) appears in the lower periphery of plunger cylinder 56 half way between bores 58 on the inner peripheral face of cylinder 56, and slide member 72 is slidably mounted on the recessed end shoulders 73 (FIG. so that its outer surface dwells substantially on the periphery of the cylinder 56. The outer end 74 of slide member 72 normally engages the flat portion 40 on the bottom of the cam cylinder portion 30 and is adapted to engage one of the cam surfaces 38 whenever relative rotation takes place between the plunger cylinder 56 and the cylinder portion 30. A finger 76 on slide member 72 extends into the outer end of slot 70, and spring 78 bears against the finger 7 6 and the innermost shoulder 73 to normally urge the slide member in an outward direction. The above described relative rotation between the plunger cylinder 56 and cam cylinder 30 causes the outer end 74 of slide member 72 to engage one of the tapered cam surfaces 38, which in turn slides the member 72 inwardly and compresses spring 78. Finger 80 is located on the inner end of slide member 72 for a purpose to be described hereafter. A hollow tube 82 is concentrically mounted on the inner face of plunger cylinder 56 and extends away therefrom in a direction inwardly towards door 10.

A look cylinder 84 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) is rotatably mounted on tube 82 and has a cylindrical flange 86 on its inner end. Flange 86 has a plurality (22) of apertures 88 extending longitudinally therethrough in a concentric pattern and these apertures are adapted to register individually at times with the inner ends of pins 64 and 66 which protrude inwardly from plunger cylinder 56. An arcuate flange 90 appears on the outer lower portion of lock cylinder 84 in spaced relation to flange 86, and a gear segment 92 having a plurality of ratchet teeth 94 are imposed on the inner side thereof. As shown in FIG. 2, finger 80 on slide member 72 is adapted to engage teeth 94 at times to hold lock cylinder 84 against rotation on tube 82.

A finger 96 (FIGS. 1 and 2) on the inner face of lock cylinder 84 extends into a slot 98 in pin or control cylinder 100 which is also rotatably mounted on tube 82.

p The peripheral width of slot 98 is wider than finger 96 so that finger 96 can have limited rotational movement within the slot to permit limited rotational movement between the lock cylinder 84 and the pin cylinder 100. A plurality (22) of apertures 102 are concentrically located and extend through the outer portion of cylinder 100. Apertures 102 are adapted to be aligned with the apertures 88 in lock cylinder 84. Pins 104 are slidably mounted within some of the apertures 102 as will be discussed hereafter. These pins have a longitudinal length greater than that of pin cylinder 100 and are adapted to have their outer ends extend into one of the apertures 88 of lock cylinder 84 at times (FIG. 2). A narrow cam element 106 is secured to the inner peripheral end of pin cylinder 100 and is adapted to vmovably dwell-in the transverse narrow cam slot 110 on latch actuating member 18. Aperture 23 (FIG. 9) in slot 110 receives locking pin 22, and apertures 23A (FIG. 1) in opposite end of slot 110 receives locking pin 22A which will be described hereafter. As will also be described hereafter, when the cam element 106 reaches a point within slot 110 that it engages the locking pin 22, the locking pin is lifted from locking engagement with the latch actuating member 18, and the member 18 can then be rotated to operate the latch mechanism 12 and open door 10. Pin 112 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is threadably secured to pin cylinder 100 and extends radially outwardly therefrom to slidably dwell in the transverse slot 48. A concentric recess 114 (FIG. 2) appears in the inner face of pin cylinder 100 and coil spring 116 dwells therein and embraces the inner end of tube 82. One end of spring 116 is secured to cylinder 100 and the other end thereof is secured to tube 82.

A pin retainer 118 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is comprised of washer 120, which has tube 122 extending outwardly therefrom. The inner end of hollow stem 42 on cam cylinder portion 30 is of reduced diameter and extends inwardly within the tube 82 on plunger cylinder 56. The outer end of tube 122 on pin retainer 118 slidably engages the inner end of stem 42 (FIG. 2) and shoulder 124 on stem 42 limits the sliding movementtherebetween in one direction. Coil spring 126 extends around the outer end of tube 122. One end of spring 126 is secured to stem 42 and the other end thereof is secured to tube 122 to yieldably resist the sliding action between tube 122 and stem 42.

An elongated coil spring 125 has one of its ends connected to cylinder 30, and then extends through the various stems and tub-es 4.2, 82 and 122 to have its inner end connected to an inwardly protruding pin 127 on latch actuating member 18. Spring 125 serves to resiliently hold the aforementioned components 30,,and 56 against longitudinal displacement with respect to eachother.

The normal operation of the structure described thus far is as follows: When the components are in a locked condition through the action of pin 22, pin 22 extends through aperture 23 near one end of, cam slot 110 in latch actuating member 18. The cam element 106 will dwell in substantially the opposite end of the cam slot 110, and the ultimate object is to effect the rotation of pin cylinder 100 so that the cam element 106 thereon can move through slot 110 and push pin 22 radially outwardly out of aperture 23 and out of engagement with latch actuating member 18. The pin cylinder 100 is urged to so rotate by spring 116, but a plurality of pins 104. extend between various of the aligned apertures 88 and 102 in lock cylinder 84 and pin cylinder 100, respectively, to prevent relative rotation between members 84 and 104, and these two members are thereby locked together. Lock cylinder 84 is also urged to rotate by the spring 116 which is secured to pin cylinder 100, but finger on slide member 72 engages one of the ratchet teeth 94, and serves to collectively prevent the pin cylinder or the lock cylinder 84from rotating together even as they are locked together by pins 104. The ultimate goal is to unlock the pin cylinder 100 from the lock cylinder 84, whereupon the pin cylinder will rotate one further increment, as defined by the play or tolerances between finger 96 on cylinder 84 and slot 98 on cylinder 100, and this further increment of rotation will cause the cam element 106 to disengage the locking pin 22 aspreviously described.

The number of pins 104 to be used is arbitrary, and the number of pins and the apertures 102 in which they are mounted in pin cylinder 100 will determine the combination of the lock. Or, conversely, the combination desired will determine the number and location of the pins. The pins 104 are pushed in an inwardly direction by one or the other of pins 64 or 66 on plungers 60 or 62, respectively. When knob 26 and cam cylinder 30 are rotated clockwise as viewed in FIG.'3, cam surface 34 will engage the outer end of plunger 60 and force the plunger and the pin 64 thereon inwardly into an aperture 88 on lock cylinder 84, and the pin 64 on the plunger thereupon pushes the pin 104 in the aperture 88 inwardly and out of engagement with the lock cylinder. The plunger 62 and the pin 66 thereon function similarly when the knob 26 is rotated in the opposite direction. Only one plunger will function upon rotating the knob and the cam cylinder 30 in one direction, for while plunger 62 engages cam surface 32 upon a counterclockwise direction, plunger 60 will remain inoperable as it slidesover the flat portion 36. While plunger 60 is thrust inwardly by cam surface 34 upon a clockwise rotation of knob 26 and the cam cylinder portion 30, plunger 62 remains inoperative as it slidably engages the flat portion 36.

The clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the knob 26 and cam cylinder portion 30 is limited by the length of the bearing or guide surface 44A which engages, guides and controls the screw 52 which extends into the opening 44 from the tube 28, which in turn is secured to cam cylinder 30. The screw 52 is centered on the bearing surface 44A (FIG. 9) when the plungers are centered in a neutral position on cam cylinder portion 30 (FIG. 3). A clockwise rotation of knob 26 and cylinder portion 30 is stopped when screw 52 reaches one end of the bearing surface 44A, and a counterclockwise rotation is stopped when screw 52 reaches the other end of hearing surface 44A.

It should be noted that slide member 72 is moved inwardly by one of the cam surfaces 38 regardless of which direction the cam cylinder portion 30 is rotated. This serves to disengage the finger 80 from the teeth 94 on lock cylinder 84, and would ordinarily free the lock cylinder 84 and pin cylinder 106 for rotation even though they are locked together by pins 104. However, the relative lengths and diameters of pins 64 and 66 on the plungers 6i) and 62 are such that they (depending upon which plunger is being actuated) move into the aligned aperture 88 of lock cylinder 84 instantaneously before finger 80 has moved out of locking engagement with one of the teeth 94 on the lock cylinder. This is in part accomplished by the play or tolerances between the relative diameters of the smaller pin 66 (or 64) and the larger aperture 88. Thus, at this stage of the operation, the finger 80 disengages the teeth 94 of lock cylinder 84, and the pin of the plunger 60 or 62 being actuated enters the aligned aperture 88 instantaneously before but not simultaneously with the disengagement of the teeth 94, whereupon a slight rotation of the lock cylinder 84 or the pin cylinder 100 takes place, this increment of rotation being measured by the play or tolerances between the pin and aperture 88. This increment of rotation allows finger 80 to ride over to the top of the next adjacent tooth, but not to bottom on the bight of the adjacent tooth. The pin of the plunger being actuated clears the aligned aperture 88 of the pin 104 in the manner de scribed above.

As the manual rotation force on the knob 26 is released or withdrawn after the screw 52 has reached one end of the bearing surface 44A, the springs 68 on the plunger being actuated biases the cam cylinder portion 30 back to its neutral position (FIG. 3) whereupon screw 52 moves back to its centered position on bearing surface 44A as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 8. This serves to withdraw the pin 64 or 66 on the plunger being used from the aperture 88 on lock cylinder 84. In the instant after the plunger pin withdraws from the aperture 88, the lock cylinder 84 and the pin cylinder 100, which are still locked together by the pins 104, will start to rotate a further increment because of spring 116. Slide member '72 will be moving outwardly with the plunger being used by virtue of its spring 78, and finger 80 on the inner end thereof will engage the tooth adjacent to the tooth being engaged prior to the rotation of the knob. The second increment of rotation is realized as finger 80 bottoms on the next adjacent tooth 94. Thus, one clockwise rotation of the knob will serve to clear one pin 104 out of lock cylinder 84, and it will permit the lock cylinder 84 and the pin cylinder 160 to rotate one increment measured by the peripheral distance between two adjacent teeth 94 on the lock cylinder 84. In practice, this increment of rotation would permit two subsequent rotations of the knob 26 in one direction to disengage two pins 104 from two adjacent apertures 88 in lock cylinder 104.

As is apparent from the foregoing, one pin 104 must e in alignment with one of the plungers 66 or 62 on the first rotation of knob 26, and the first move on the unlocking combination will be to dial the knob to the right or to the left, depending on whether the first pin 104 is to be dislodged from lock cylinder 84 by plunger 60 or plunger 62.

The disengagement of the first pin 104 in the manner de scribed and the subsequent incremental rotation of the lock and pin cylinders must again locate a second pin 104 in alignment with one of the plungers 60 or 62. If the first two pins to be removed from lock cylinder 84 are in adjacent apertures 88, the same plunger that removed the first pin must be used to remove the second pin; which would mean that the first two rotational movements of the knob in the unlocking combination would be in the same direction. If plunger 66 unlocked the first pin 104 in a clockwise rotation, plunger 62 could be used to unlock a second pin 164 through a left-hand rotation of the knob if the second pin 164 were so positioned in the lock cylinder 84 that it would be in alignment with the pin 66 of plunger 62 after the removal of the first pin 104 and the subsequent incremental rotation of the lock cylinder. At no time will two pins 104 be simultaneously in alignment with both plungers 60 and 62. If the knob should have been rotated to the right to permit plunger 62 to remove a pin 16-4, and if the knob were inadvertently rotated to the left instead, the pin 64 on plunger 60 would penetrate an empty aperture 83 in lock cylinder 84, and upon withdrawal, the lock cylinder 84 would rotate a small increment so that the pin 164 which had previously been in alignment with the pin of plunger 62 would then be rotated to a position of disalignment with both plungers, and the device could never be unlocked without starting the original combination of moves over again. Thus, if someone wishing to pick the lock makes one clockwise turn of the knob when a counter-clockwise turn was needed, or vice versa, the device cannot be unlocked. Obviously, by using different numbers and locations of pins 164, an infinite number of unlocking combinations can be used, and each combination is implemented by turning the knob 26 a predetermined number of times the same distance in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, and in a predetermined sequence.

After the last pin 164 has been disengaged from the lock cylinder 84, the lock cylinder becomes momentarily free from the pin cylinder 1%. During the implementation of the unlocking combination, the cam element 106 has been progressively and intermittently rotated towards the locking pin 22. After the pin cylinder 1% has been freed from the lock cylinder 84, the spring 116 causes the pin cylinder to rotate a further increment independently of the lock cylinder, this increment being measured by the degree to which slot '98 in the pin cylinder is wider than the finger 96 on the lock cylinder. This last increment of rotation of the pin cylinder 10% allows the cam element 196 to move under locking pin 22, thereby releasing the latch bar actuating member 18 for rotation by knob 26. The rotation of knob 26 will cause screw 52 to once again engage one end or the other of the bearing surface 44A of opening 44 in member 18, but since member 18 is now unlocked, screw 52 will cause member 18 to rotate in conventional fashion to operate the latch mechanism which will serve to open the door.

The last increment of rotation of the pin cylinder should cause a solid portion (designated by the numeral 128) to be in alignment with the last removed pin 104 for a reason to be discussed hereafter.

To reset the lock mechanism from the outside, the knob 26 is pulled outwardly and then turned in a counter-clockwise direction. Screw 52 is guided to the throat 46 of opening 44 in member 18 by one or the other of tapered bearing surfaces 443 or 44C. This withdrawal of knob 26, cam cylinder 30 and stem 4-2 tends to pull pin retainer 118 outwardly, but since at least the last displaced pin 164 engages the solid portion 128 of lock cylinder 84, the pin retainer 118 remains stationary and spring 126 which connects stem 42 of cylinder portion 39 and tube 122 of pin retainer 118 goes into tension. Then, when knob 26 is rotated as screw 52 enters slot 48 in latch bar actuating member 18, the screw 52 encounters the pin 112 which is also in slot 48, and a slight rotational motion is then imposed on pin cylinder 100 by the engagement of pin 112 by screw 52. This serves to rotate the pin cylinder back into a position of alignment with the lock cylinder 84 so that the force exerted on the pins 104 by the pin retainer 118 (and spring 126 attached thereto) will thrust the pins 104 outwardly into the apertures 88 of lock cylinder 84 and once again effect the lock between the lock cylinder and the pin cylinder. This reverse rotation exerted on pin cylinder 100 by screw 52 is to move the cylinder back into the same position it was in before it received the last increment of rotation during the unlocking operation. The knob is then rotated in an opposite direction to return screw 52 back through slot 4-8 and back into the opening 44, and the relocking operation is then completed. If a mistake is encountered While implementing the unlocking combination, the operator should pull the knob outwardly and rotate it in the manner described above before starting the combination over again. This serves to reload any pins 104 that have been removed from lock cylinder 84, and it serves to rotate back into sequence any pins 104 that have been missed 'by turning the knob 26 in an incorrect direction.

An inner latch actuating member 13% similar to member 18 engages latch mechanism 12 and is adapted upon Iotation to operate the latch mechanism independently of member 18. Inner knob 132 is secured to the inner end thereof to effect the rotation of member 130. A shaft 134 is rotatably secured within the center of knob 132 and snap pin 136 pervents its longitudinal displacement with respect to the knob. Stop means 137 of any convenient construction limits the rotational displacement of shaft 134 to an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Element 138 on the inner end of knob 132 aids in the manual rotation of the shaft 134. The outer end of shaft 134 has a socket 140 with opposite slits 142 in its extreme outer end. A hollow stub shaft 144 slidably fits over the inner end of shaft 134, and a pin 146 extends transversely through shaft 144 and through the slits 142. A compression spring 148 in socket 146 bears against pin 146 and pushes stub shaft 144 outwardly towards the inner face of anchor plate 20. The described connection between shaft 134 and stub shaft 144 permits the structure to be adapted to doors of different thickness.

The outer end of stub shaft 144 terminates in washer 150. A spring finger 152 is freely rotatably secured in any convenient manner to the inner end of stub shaft 14 and extends radially outwardly therefrom and dwells within tapered notch 153 on the inner end of latch bar actuating member 18. Notch 153 has tapered sides 153A and 153B with a fiat center portion 153C. A second locking pin (FIG. 7) 22A is mounted in a suitable aperture in anchor plate 20 and is biased by spring 24A into locking engagement with a suitable aperture in latch actuating mem- :ber 18.

Cam elements 154 and 156 on the periphery of washer 150 have a radial height less than that of spring finger 152. Cam arms 158 and 159 on looking pins 22 and 22A, respectively, are adapted to engage the cam elements 156 and 156 at times. A portion of the periphery of washer 150 dwells in slots 151 and 181A of member 18 (FIG. 1).

FIG. 7 reveals the position of cam element 106 on the inner end of member 18 after the unlocking combination has been Worked and the cam elements on washer 150 have been turned to an unlocked position. The shaft 134 can be pivoted 45 degrees from the unlocked position of FIG. 7 to a locked position shown by the position of cam elements 154 and 156 depicted by the dotted lines in FIG. 7 and the solid lines in FIG. 8. In the unlocked position depicted by the solid lines in FIG. 7, cam 156 engages the cam arm 159 of locking pin 22A to hold it out of locking engagement with member 18. Locking pin 22 is held out of locking engagement with member 18 by the cam element 106 on pin cylinder 100. If the combination had not been worked or had been partially worked cam element 106 would not reside beneath locking pin 22 as shown in FIG. 7. In that event locking pin 22 would be held out of locking engagement with member 18 by cam element 154 engaging cam arm 158. From the foregoing description it can be seen that when washer 150 is in an unloaded position, locking pins 22 and 22A are blocked from locking engagement with member 18 regardless of Whether the combination is unworked,,partially worked or completely worked.

When shaft 134 is moved to the locked position and cam elements 154 and 156 are thereby rotated to the position depicted by the dotted lines in FIG. 7, auxiliary locking pin 22A moves into locking position with member 18. This locked condition can of course be overcome by returning shaft 134 and washer 150 to the unlocked position.

Even if the washer 150 is in a position to lock the door, the door can still be opened through the following procedures: The outside knob 26 is withdrawn and rotated in the manner described previously to reset the combination by re-inserting pins 104 in the lock cylinder 84. This also serves to move the cam 106 on pin cylinder 100 from the position shown in FIG. 7 to a position underneath locking pin 22A. This permits locking pin 22 to enter into locking engagement with member 18 and holds locking pin 22A from entering into similar engagement. The

relative radial height of cam element 106 is such that this action also elevates cam arm 159 above spring finger 152 permitting spring finger 152, by its inherent spring action, to move to the flat bottom portion 153C of notch 153 on the inner end of member 18..Spring finger 152 then resides in a position directly beneath cam arm 159, as shown in FIG. 8.

The combination is then worked in the manner described previously to progressively move the camelement 106 from a position under locking pin 22A to a position under locking pin 22. As cam element 106 moves away from pin 22A, pin 22A has a tendency to again drop into locking engagement with member 18. However, since the spring finger 152 has moved into position beneath cam arm 159 on pin 22A, the pin 22A will be held in anunlocked position. When the combination is worked, the cam 106 will move under and unlock pin 22 and the door will then be unlocked by cam 106 so acting on pin 22 and spring finger 152 acting on pin 22A. See FIG. 8.

When member 18 is rotated to actuate the latch mechanism 12 to open the door, the spring 152 rotates with member 18 and moves out from under the cam arm 159 of locking pin 22A. This allows pin 22A to move radially inwardly against member 18, but since the registering locking aperture 23A in member 18 that ordinarily receives pin 22A has also been rotated out of position, the pin 22A will merely bear against the arcuate surface of member 18 until the member 18 has once again assumed its normal position. Thus, when the combination has been worked, the member 18 can'be rotated to open the door. When the knob 26 is released, the door once again becomes locked from the outside by pin 22A. It is therefore not necessary to take any action to. lock the door after opening it from the outside by Working the combination, for pin 22A will always automatically lock the door in the manner described. The door can again be re-opened from the outside by resetting the combination through withdrawing and rotating outer knob 26 as indicated. This places cam 106 under pin 22A and spring finger 152 under arm 159 to disengage pin 22A, and drops pin 22 into locking engagement with member 18. The combination is then workedto let cam element .106 unlock the other pin 22 while spring finger 152 temporarily holds pin 22A in an unlocked condition. The chief function of spring finger 152 is to temporarily hold pin 22A in an unlocked condition while the combination is being worked,

but to release pin 22A for locking as the member 18 is rotated to open the door. The pin 22A does not complete the relocking until after member 18 has first been rotated to open the door, and then returned to its original or neutral position, which brings the aperture 23A in member 18 into registering position with pin 22A.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the device of this invention will provide a locking device that can be unlocked by moving an actuating member through an identical distance for a plurality of times in one of two opposite directions. In addition, the device will become automatically relocked after the unlocking combination is worked. This invention therefore achieves at least all of its stated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my locking device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a lock device,

a movable latch means,

a locking mechanism holding said latch means against movement and being operable with said latch means upon actuation to release said latch means for movement,

a plurality of movable locking elements on said locking mechanism and adapted to move between different positions whereby said locking mechanism will be operable with said latch means in a first position and inoperable with said latch means in a second of said positions,

a movable actuating means on said locking means,

limit means limiting the movement of said actuating means from a neutral position to travel in at least one of two directions a predetermined fixed distance,

at least one of said movable locking elements normally being operationally engageable by said actuating means as said actuating means is moved said predetermined fixed distance in one of said two directions whereby intermittent movement of said actuating means in various combinations of said two directions through the full predetermined fixed distance of travel in each direction will move said locking elements to said first position to make said locking mechanism operable with said latch means.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein an auxiliary locking mechanism interconnects said first mentioned locking mechanism and said latch means to automatically lock said latch means against further movement after said locking elements have been moved to said first position and said latch means has been operatively moved.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein two locking pins engage said latch means, and one of said locking pins is releasably held out of engagement with said latch means by a means on said locking mechanism while said locking mechanism is being actuated to disengage said other locking pin from said latch means.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said actuation means includes a movable knob element which is operatively connected through said actuation means to said latch assembly whereby said knob can be manually moved to actuate said actuation means and can be further moved to operate said latch means when said latch means has been released from locking engagement with said locking mechanism.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein two locking pins engage said latch means, a cam element on said locking means adapted to move one of said locking pins out of engagement with said latch means, an auxiliary unlocking means operable with said latch means and adapted to simultaneously move said pins out of or into engagement with said latch means, and a finger element on said auxiliary unlocking means adapted to releasably hold one of said pins out of engagement with said latch means at times.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said locking pins are radially disposed, and said auxiliary unlocking means ineludes first and second cams which are adapted to simultaneously engage one each of said pins, the respective radial lengths of said cam element on said locking means, said finger element, and said second cam being progressively shorter.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said locking mechanism and said locking elements include a locking pin in engagement with said latch mechanism, a cam element on a first cylinder, means for biasing said first cylinder into movement whereby said cam element can disengage said locking pin from said latch means, a lock cylinder, aligned apertures in said first cylinder and said lock cylinders, pins slida'bly mounted in and connecting the aligned apertures in said cylinders, whereupon the aforesaid movement of said actuating means will disengage said pins from simultaneous engagement with said cylinders to permit said first cylinder and the cam element thereon to disengage said locking pin from said latch means.

-8. The device of claim 7 wherein said actuating means includes a pin retainer means to reset said pins in engagement with the aligned apertures of said cylinders.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein said actuating means includes a plurality of cam surfaces with a plurality of plunger means, whereupon the travel of said actuation means through the full predetermined distance of travel in one direction will cause one cam surface to engage one plunger means and disconnect one of said pins from simultaneous engagement within the aligned apertures of said cylinders.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein said actuating means includes ratchet means engaging at least one of said cylinders to :permit intermittent incremental rotation thereof as said actuation means disengages each of said pins.

11. The device of claim 7 wherein said cylinders have a plurality of aligned apertures, with pins extending through less than all of said aligned apertures.

12. In a lock device,

a pin cylinder having a plurality of apertures therein,

a lock cylinder having a plurality of apertures therein which are in alignment with the apertures of said pin cylinder,

said pin cylinder and said lock cylinder being rotatable on a supporting shaft means, a plurality of pins having their opposite ends in only a part of the aligned apertures of said cylinders,

means on said shaft and connected to said pin cylinder to yieldingly induce rotation to such cylinder on said shaft,

a cam on said pin cylinder,

a movable latch means,

a pin element detacha'bly engaging and locking said latch means against movement,

and actuation means for disengaging said pins from one of said cylinders to permit said pin cylinder to rotate said cam element into engagement with said pin element to disengage said pin element from said latch means.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said actuation means includes at least one plunger which engages the ends of individual pins, and operating means secured to said plunger for longitudinally moving said pins out of engagement with one of said cylinders.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said operating means is a cylinder rotatably mounted with said shaft means and having a cam surface to engage said plunger upon rotation of said cylinder.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein said operating means is a cylinder rotatably mounted with said shaft means and having a cam surface to engage said plunger upon rotation of said cylinder; a second cam surface on said cylinder in engagement with a ratchet means which operatively engages said lock cylinder, whereby when the cylinder of said operating means is rotated, and said plunger disengages a pin from one of said cylinders, said 1 I lock cylinder is momentarily released by said ratchet means.

16. In a lock device,

a movable latch means,

a locking mechanism operatively secured to said latch means,

a movable actuating means operatively secured to said locking mechanism and adapted for operative reciprocal movement therewith,

and means on said actuating means resiliently holding it in "a neutral position and limiting its reciprocal movement in at least two diiTerent directions to a predetermined value of displacement whereby the full intermittent movement thereof in a predetermined sequence in said diiferent directions will release said locking mechanism from its operative locking attachment with said latch means,

said actuating means including at least a pair of plunger elements,

and at least one member having a plurality of apertures therein,

cam means on said actuating means to selectively move sequence.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,024,030 12/1935 Deutsch 70363 2,738,666 3/1956 Tornoe 70146 X 2,920,473 1/1960 Hansen 70-156 X 3,064,463 11/1962 Johnson 70-l56 3,251,205 5/1966 Kerr 70363 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. 

16. IN A LOCK DEVICE, A MOVABLE LATCH MEANS, A LOCKING MECHANISM OPERATIVELY SECURED TO SAID LATCH MEANS, MOVABLE ACTUATING MEANS OPERATIVELY SECURED TO SAID LOCKING MECHANISM AND ADAPTED FOR OPERATIVE RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT THEREWITH, AND MEANS ON SAID ACTUATING MEANS RESILIENTLY HOLDING IT IN A NEUTRAL POSITION AND LIMITING ITS RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT IN AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS TO A PREDETERMINED VALUE OF DISPLACEMENT WHEREBY THE FULL INTERMITTENT MOVEMENT THEREOF IN A PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE IN SAID DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS WILL RELEASE SAID LOCKING MECHANISM FROM ITS OPERATIVE LOCKING ATTACHMENT WITH SAID LATCH MEANS, SAID ACTUATING MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST A PAIR OF PLUNGER ELEMENTS, AND AT LEAST ONE MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES THEREIN, CAM MEANS ON SAID ACTUATING MEANS TO SELECTIVELY MOVE ONE OF SAID PLUNGERS INTO ONE OF SAID APERTURES WHEN SAID ACTUATING MEANS IS MOVED IN ONE DIRECTION, AND TO SELECTIVELY MOVE THE OTHER OF SAID PLUNGERS INTO ANOTHER OF SAID APERTURES WHEN SAID ACTUATING MEANS IS MOVED IN SAID OTHER DIRECTION, AS SAID ACTUATING MEANS IS INTERMITTENTLY MOVED IN SAID PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE. 